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Parks board reviews Sammy Waller upgrades, moves cross-country meet to council
Summary
The Parks and Recreation Board discussed removing an aging playground at Sammy Waller Park to make room for a combined tennis/pickleball court, reviewed pavilion roof repair quotes and other amenity plans, and approved a proposal to send a small cross-country meet to city council for final approval.
The Parks and Recreation Board on a regular meeting discussed possible upgrades at Sammy Waller Park, including removing an old playground and exploring installation of a combined tennis and pickleball court.
Chairman opened the item by describing the northeast section of Sammy Waller Park as containing "some old playground equipment" and said the board was "looking at removing that, adding the, tennis court slash pickleball court" to make better use of the space.
Emilio, speaking for staff, said the idea appears in the parks and recreation master plan but warned that tennis courts are larger and more expensive than pickleball courts. "We'll review that more closely and work to get some estimates and pricing from different contractors," he said, and added staff will consider Economic Development Corporation funds and the annual budget when weighing the project.
On the pavilion roof, Roger said the painting/repair of the roughly 2,000-square-foot roof was not part of last year’s scope and reported he had obtained quotes to repaint and apply reflective coating to reduce maintenance issues. On the playground equipment Roger said a vendor recommended complete removal: "we're gonna remove the whole system" because the structure is rusted and deteriorated and presents liability concerns; the chair agreed replacing only part of it would be impractical and suggested swings could be replaced separately.
Roger also described additional small amenities under consideration at Sammy Waller — a gate east of the pavilion between the bathrooms and the pavilion edge and potential outdoor barbecue pits — and said staff would provide updates once contractor timelines and estimates are confirmed.
Coach Holly sought and received board approval to pursue a small, local cross-country meet this fall that would start with Cleveland-area middle and high schools and grow over time. The board voted to forward the cross-country proposal to city council for final approval.
What happens next: staff will gather cost estimates and funding options for the Sammy Waller proposals, pursue contractor scheduling for the pavilion work, and prepare the cross-country proposal materials for the city council packet. Meeting minutes record the motions as passed; the transcript does not specify a meeting date beyond internal references in the packet.
